UI Partners, part of the University of Iowa Office of Research and Economic Development, is hosting a logo contest for MERGE, the new creative factory in downtown Iowa City, scheduled to open next spring.

A partnership between the University of Iowa and the Iowa City Area Development Group (ICAD), MERGE will gather entrepreneurs, start-up companies, engineers, technology professionals, graphic artists, hackers, students, professionals, and business resources all in one location.

MERGE will include offices for startups and dedicated space for coding, programming, and web and mobile app development. It will also include a workshop for device prototyping and fabrication, with equipment for laser cutting and etching, 3D printing, and other machine technologies.

The goal is for both the university and the community to bring together the people and resources to foster new ideas, technological innovation, and business growth.

UI Partners is looking for a unique logo for MERGE that will appeal to a diverse audience interested in creativity, technology, and innovation.

The contest is posted on 99designs.com, a website which hosts design contests for a community of over 1,126,000 designers.

Designs will be accepted through Dec. 8.

For more information, visit https://uipartners.org/merge/.

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development provides resources and support to researchers and scholars at the University of Iowa and to businesses across Iowa with the goal of forging new frontiers of discovery and innovation and promoting a culture of creativity that benefits the campus, the state, and the world. More at http://research.uiowa.edu, and on Twitter: @DaretoDiscover.